Hello Folks, I haven't posted for a while but I'd appreciate some advice - again... I'm about to get shot of my old MK2 - not that there's anything major wrong with it, it's just tired and ready to be donated as parts or have a lot of time spent on it to fix it up. It'll still run & pass an MoT but it's untidy. The heater motor, rear door, rear demist, passsenger window, etc are knackered, and the sunroof leaks - easy enough to fix, but maybe just not economical. The Tax & MoT is about to run out (end of March!). The body is a bit of a mess, with slight damage to several of the panels, but it's not rusting and will pass an MoT. If anyone's interested in this car for parts or as a project they are welcome to give me offers. It's an 8v D-Reg with a Kent GS2H cam, Koni off car adjustable shoks, koni red springs, and no other mods. It has Pirelli Alloys & Yokohama A539's. There are 150k miles on it, but cylinder head was rebuilt (with new cam) at 120k, and it will sit happily on the 'Autobahn' at 110mph all day. Recently replaced headlamps (with Hella), front bearings (VW garage), cambelt, CV Joints. It's done some laps of the Nurburgring and handled it nicely. The handling is well balanced and it cocks the rear wheel with plenty of lift off oversteer available fur fun, if you choose to chuck it about. Ask any questions, but bear in mind that I will not be breaking bits off it and selling them individually. Also bear in mind that I live in london. This brings me on to my next point - I'd like to get a mk3 VR6 Highline. Does anyone have any advice for me on precautions, things to check, etc. Will I need a top of the range alarm to stop unwanted attention if it's parked on the street in South London? Are the engines generally sound? I'd be looking at something with slightly less that 80k miles. Any advice would be hugely appreciated. Many thanks, James K
I can't advise much on the mk2 front, but for lots of useful info on the VR6, visit VR6 Owners Club. If you keep it standard, I can't imagine you having any problems with parking it on the street, as they are pretty invisible to most people! Obviously, the more you make it noticeable, the more chance of undesirables touching it. One thing worth thinking about: most people seem to want a Highline, which has pushed the price up. But there are plenty of late model, non-Highline VR6's with many of the options fitted to make them close to Highline anwyay. These tend to be quite a bit cheaper - mine certainly was!
Thanks Mr Ben, I'll bear that in mind - the main feature I want is air con. Yes, I'll be keeping it as standard to look at as possible. Thanks again, JK
Well be prepared to spend some time looking. I wanted leather and all the gubbings but they were rare and overpriced so i got a '97 with 110000 miles on with recaro interior for 4k and only 3 owners last 2 were women. Oh and its got climatrinic not just a/c Edited by: craggsy
James - I've got both - an 8 valver and a VR6 Highline ! It took me over a year to get exactly what I wanted as Highlines in mint condition (assuming thats what you want)are pretty rare, and to be unmodified even rarer ! Be looking to spend about 6k for a pretty mintish example. The one I got was a trade in at VW dealers with FVWSH, 57k and 1 owner so well worth waiting for ! Obviously FVWSH or FVWSH followed by specialist is pretty essential for VR6 engine ..... but the best bit of advice I was given related to the V5 .... if you go and look at one make sure you look at the V5 since quite a few 'normal' VR6's are sold as 'Highlines' just because they have the leather interior - the V5 explicitly states "VR6 Highline" if its a genuine one. As you will know the Highlines were only done in 2 colours - metallic black and metallic mulberry - check that the gear knob is the american walnut one as well (only on the Highline). Regarding security a full CAT1 closure alarm is essential - all VR6's should come with one - if not get the best one you can afford - remember on the straight it's pretty much as fast as an R32 so still very nickable ! Obviously check the cars lines very carefully as quite a lot will have tasted a ditch at some point etc. Check the badging as well - the highline model has a different VR6 badge on it (small silver VR6 logo on black) ........ happy hunting - as I said took me a year to get what I wanted and will never sell it - so be patient though you will have to pay a premium for the right model over a standard VR6 !
As usual lads, you've come up trumps with some quality posts - many thanks! Didn't know about the V5, etc - something to definitely bear in mind. So the logo on the back should be smaller than the logo on the front? (are they usually the same size?) And I can't decide on 3 door or 5. My mk2's a 5, and I wish it wasn't. But the mk3 looks alright in 5 doors to me. Do you think it makes much difference to weight/chassis flex - and therefore handling? JK
nah the 2 logos are the same size ! (discrete labelling by the wolfsburgs lot ! - understated but to my taste !!)...... re: the 3 vs 5 door handling .... i can assure you that makes jack all difference having driven all 4 variations .... however in terms of resale value (if you intend selling them later on ?) ..... a 5 door Mk2 8v will always lag behind a 3 door though remember the marketing men at Wolfsburg created the 5 door VR6 to be a complete Autobahn cruiser (with kids !)..... if you have ever driven one it is a totally different drive to an 8v GTi as it just purrs and has loads in reserve to use above 80mph (unlike the 8v) ..... just remember for about 6k you are buying a very high level of performance which will match a brand new BMW 325Ci ... not bad for an engine first produced in 1992 in a production car !!! any thoughts ?
Toughts? Yes - I'll have one please! I reckon 5-doors fine for me then. It's good to have 5 doors if you're on a long journey with some mates on board. I was looking around for something more responsible than my 8-v - something that's safer, a bit more sober, but something that'll keep me entertained when needs be. How do they handle as standard? I remember putting koni's on my 8v and the difference it made was awesome - but I'm hoping I'll be ok to keep a vr6 almost standard. Is it quite refined but entertaining - will the rear end step out a little when you want it to?
from the standard you'll need to put koni's on it as its a well known fact the VR6 came with a very soft suspension (designed naturally for the autobahn !) .... if you're getting a highline remember that it will almost certainly have the better engine management system which will throw out more than VW's claimed 174 bhp ! In my opinion the 8v is great to throw around corners and good fun off the mark at relatively low speeds (up to 70 mph) ..... the great difference between that and the VR6 (apart from a much safer cell and airbags !!!) is the pulling power at high speeds when some **sser is on ure bumper in the outside lane and you "need to safely move away" ......... it will pull strongly up to about 120 mph then keep going (but relatively slowly) up to 140 mph ..... a wee bit better than the 8v !!!
As an owner of both Mk2 16v and a VR6 you won`t regret driving a VR but you will miss driving a Mk2. Not much help I know but both have good points and bad and tbh I would probably choose the Mk2 for overall good points but I would miss the VR as well.
yes that's a fair comment ....... the VR6 has some excellent points (at the top end) ..... though an 8V around town and roundabouts is more fun to drive ! I would 100% agree with that comment ...... the only trouble with my G plate 8v (totally original and on steels) is that the world and his son seem to want to test their TDi's against it which gets a wee bit tiresome when you're in a 15/16 year old car ! when i'm in the VR6 it doesn't seem to get the same (unwanted !) attention ...... wonder why !
VR6 on the motorway is in its element and a Mk2 is better suited for urban/rural type roads ,assuming both in standard form.
thats spot on Dave ......... even these days (apart from true supercars) there are not that many cars which can compete with the Vr6 on the motorway ..... it's pulling power is truely excellent from 50 - 120 ....... and i agree around town the Mk2 is gr8 fun to drive, but (in my opinion) most modern day cars can match it though the Mk2 (unmodified) will pull well until about 75 mph !
Thanks lads - I think I'll get a VR6 and live with both for a little while before deciding to let the 8v go or not. Maybe some eibach springs and koni top adjustables would give me the choice for all seasons - cruise out to germany in luxury and then tighten it up and cain it around the Nordschleife. Most of my driving these days is around town and on the motorways, I'm disappointed to say - but I do have my favorite roads, having grown up in Cumbria - so the stock suspension probably won't last that long. Thanks very much for the advice - it's well appreciated!
Koni T/A's and Eibach springs are good, but if I were you, I'd save up a little more and get some FK Coilovers. There were 2 different types of VR too - the Pre/Post 95. You can tell a post 95 immediately, as it will have oval side repeaters and no arch trim. The management was different on them too, with the later models having OBD2 with which you usually tend to see 180bhp+ as stock. A simple remap on an OBD2 will put you very close to the 200bhp mark.
Are the FK coilovers adjustable? - I my 8v's a bit of a boneshaker at the moment, but handles nicely - the last thing I'd want to do with a VR6 is make it tiring on long journeys. What do you reckon?
There are a number of different coilovers available from FK. The more expensive ones - Koenigsports - have top adjustable Koni shocks built into them- the cheaper ones are only height adjustable. TBH, I'd only go to the extra expense of coilovers if you want to be able to adjust the ride height. My Koni T/A shocks and Eibach springs are 7 years and 60,000 miles old, and still doing a brilliant job. And if you go for those rather than Koenigsports, the change should buy you a set of uprated Anti Roll Bars - another mod definitely worthwhile on a VR!
Thanks for the advice - once I get bored of the handling, I'll know roughly what to upgrade. Do the eibach spings still provide a smooth ride on the motorway? I have put a deposit on a '97 'R' Highline with 79k miles on it, in Mulberry. Very good nick. Only problem is that 1st gear is difficult to select. The garage will get it checked out by the local vw dealer, but I'm not buying it if there's a problem with it. Is this a known problem at all ? - I'm hoping it just needs an adjustment. Apart from that everything works and is clean & tight. How many bhp do you reckon a late Highline has? - this one certainly felt like more than 174...
don't worry to much about the 1st gear .... assuming you are not paying A1 prices ! Regarding the horses it will churn out more than the 174 bhp due to the later models having the OBD2 management system ...... should have about 184ish as standard .......
